Late President's burial to be steeped in distinct military tradition

The State funeral of the late President John Evans Atta Mills, which has generated mass publicity locally and globally and an unprecedented outpour of the publics’ sympathy, would culminate in a burial ceremony steeped in distinctive military traditions on Friday, August 10.

After the religious ceremonies that would be tinged with poignant evocation of hymns and the performance of the final funeral rites by the family of the late leader at the Independence Square, the Military would takeover the casket, escorting the body of the one-time Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), to his final resting place at the Geese Park on the Castle Drive.

Before the body of the late President Mills is interred, the casket containing his remains would be placed on a gun-carriage by eight pall-bearers of Brigadier General Rank and taken on a State drive on a selected route lined with personnel of other security services.

The cortege would be escorted by a Ghana Airforce helicopter.

When the cortege finally gets back to the Independence Square after the State drive, military personnel in full ceremonial garb, will line both sides of the Castle Drive, with reversed arms to give the departed leader his last honors.

At the Geese Park, the pall-bearers will lower the casket from the gun-carriage and place it on the grave, where military buglers will sound the “last post” amidst the booms of a 21 gun salute by a detachment of personnel of the 66 Artillery Regiment of the GAF.

Simultaneously, there would be a fly-past by three Ghana Air Force jets ejecting long lines of smoke in the national colors, with Ghana Navy ships also performing ceremonial maneuvers on the shoreline behind the Independence Square.

After final prayers, the body of the late President Mills would be lowered into the grave to start his journey into the world beyond.**